Tankerton FC Sports Ground is taking shape on the B road between Whitstable and Herne Bay.
Tankerton FC Sports Ground is taking shape on the B road between Whitstable and Herne Bay.
Q. It’s been a while! Why has it taken so long?
A. It’s been 10 years in the pipeline with public consultations via the City Council’s Districts plans, Area Panel meetings and the Regeneration and Property Committee.
Also the leases have taken longer than normal to complete as Housing Developers did have deeds of covenant on the land and third parties needed charges to be taken to secure grants, before any Titles could be registered in Tankerton FC's name with Land Registry.
Q. We’ve seen things stop start up there and people doing things over the years, why’s that?
A. Sympathetic seasonal management of the site over the years has been important, with ecological consultants guiding reptile and amphibian relocation and assisting us with successful applications to Natural England for special licences. It has taken years to clear the field of reptiles and the last week of work got us to the desired position of a series of nil captures across the whole field. And with our check of the clumps of hawthorn and large shrubs, ensuring all nesting birds had moved on, we were at long last able to clear the site of the dense vegetation.
Q. Didn’t you install a pitch up there already though?
A. Yes, we had initial funding and permissions to allow us to develop one small area of the land. Its use was always going to be largely dependent on the development of the rest of the site but the funding was time limited. It at times may have looked uncared for but had the substructures in place to bring it back into action at any given point.
Q. So what is the site going to look like when it’s finished?
A. Tankerton FC is very conscious of the immense value of keeping this site green and as natural as possible. The pitches will be grass and not artificial, the goal posts will be movable and not in situ unless there are matches or training.
There will be a 20m native flower, tree and shrub area around the perimeter and we have engaged with local Green Party councillors on plans for pathways/cycle ways with benches so people can enjoy the site and help alleviate foot and cycle traffic on part of the bends.
Q. There was mention of a bigger wildlife space?
A. We have already put in place a 2.5 acre nature reserve on the site with hides and two ponds which we have cleared and installed (to note we also paid for the creation of a pond on Duncan Down to aid with the relocation of reptiles and amphibians if needed).
Q. Is the nature reserve usable by the public?
A. It certainly will be. It is currently in need of a bit of TLC as post-COVID the volunteer group has dwindled and the growth of the vegetation, given the weather this year, has meant that many of the pathways are now overgrown with brambles and dog rose. There has also been the inevitable vandalism on the site with lifebelts being thrown into the pond along with benches, and the hides have suffered with graffiti.
Q. You have called it a Sports Ground and Community Space why is that?
A. We have actively engaged and had discussions with people from England Rounders, Whitstable Cricket Club, Active Life & Kent Sport about using this facility for more than just football. And we have already had local schools on the site, exploring and maintaining the nature reserve, something that we are keen to facilitate for local nature groups too.
Q. So what’s next for the site?
A. We hope to continue to work with the local authorities and all the relevant stakeholders in this project to be able to bring the site into use as soon as safely possible.
Q. How can I get involved?
A. We are always open to volunteers, not just across this project, but the wider club itself. If you are interested in helping please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Notes: Tankerton FC is not just a football club, it is a charity and publishes its accounts and an annual report each year on the Charity Commissions website. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5042485